Welcome to my Book Barn! The “Cowgirl Peg Book Series” currently includes six wonderful children’s books which are written at an elementary level, but enjoyed by readers of all ages. I built the series by combining my love of horses and dogs with powerful character-building messages. Beautifully illustrated by artist Pat Wiles, the books are nationally endorsed and highly recommended by parents, young readers, educators and counselors. Leaving a positive impact in the lives of thousands of young “Cowgirl Peg” fans is the biggest reward of all!

The characters in all of the following titles are real! Actual photos of myself as “Cowgirl Peg”, plus the animals in the stories, are included at the end of each book.

My first book, Lonesome the Little Horse, is based on the true story of a little horse that I rescued from neglect in 2001. This beautiful book offers young readers several important lessons, including bullying/friendship and actions vs. consequences, that parents regularly explain to their children. The very popular story is used nationally in “Red Ribbon” Drug Awareness school programs.

Next, I published Isabelle Lives a Dream, the story of a young city girl with dreams of becoming a cowgirl. Built around messages of goal-setting and responsibility, the story follows Isabelle on a journey to Cowgirl Peg’s ranch where her dream comes true.

Shortstuff Bucks! arrived in 2005 as my third book. Told by the horses, this story entertains readers with humor, suspense and awesome artwork. I used it as a way to teach children to always “believe in themselves” when facing challenges and adversity.

Next, I wrote a book that truly came from my heart: Jazmine’s Incredible Story. This is the true story of Jazmine, the German Shepherd who became my best friend and constant companion. Previously an abused animal, she appeared in hundreds of schools with me, meeting and “kissing” more than 100,000 students. Creating her book truly tested my writing skills. It is a happy book, but delivers a continuous, subtle message that “animals have feelings, too”.

Okey-Dokey Oakie joined the series in 2008. Many parents and educators requested a book that would help children deal with peer pressure. This story does that and more, including messages about respect, kindness and making smart choices. Again beautifully illustrated, this animated story is filled with imaginative dialogue between Cowgirl Peg and her horses.

The newest bookCowgirl Peg & the Great Race will arrive during the summer of 2011. It is a silly reunion of all the main animal characters from each of the previous books. The horses -- Lonesome, Shortstuff, Lacey, Wise Guy, Red and Okey – plus the dogs Jazmine, Harley and Muffin share a hilarious adventure at the ranch. The story delivers a great message about the importance of physical exercise and healthy eating. Again illustrated by Pat Wiles, it will be a beautiful, entertaining book for kids and grown-ups of all ages! Watch for it soon!!

I hope you will take a moment to read a little more about these books and add them to your library!